Improvement in animal-traps



J. H. LEWIS.

- Animal-Trap.

No. 211,751. Patented Jan 28,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JAMES H. LEWIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO A. WVESTON SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANlMAL-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,751, dated January 28, 1879 application filed October 5, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. LEWIS, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Animal-Traps, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists, first, in making adjustable the arm which carries the hook and detent for holding the jaws apart, and also in the combination of the principal parts composing my trap, as substantially hereinafter explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved trap set. Fig. 2 is a like view sprung. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents one of the jaws, preferably cast in the form shown, with one end terminating in the slotted shank B,upon which the spring 0 is sleeved in such manner that one part of the spring will find rigid resistance by impingement against the head a. The other en d of the jaw A terminates in the projection b, to which is secured, by means of the bolt 0 passing through the slot at in said projection, the standard D, in such manner that said standard may be vertically adjusted, for the purposes hereinafter described.

E is the fellow jaw, one end of which terminates in the shank F and hook projectionf.

This shank F is inserted into the slotted shank B of the other jaw, the hook projection engaging with the sleeved ring 9 of the spring 0.

G is a detent, pivoted at h to the standard D. H is a wire ring bent upon itself and projecting upward, terminating in a crank arm and hook, k, said arm passing through the head of the standard D, where the hook 7c is designed to engage with the head of the detent G and lock the jaws apart, as shown in Fig. 1, when set.

Small wires J are secured across the ring H, and the ring is so arranged within the jaws, when set, that an animal, in attempting to pass through, will meet with just 'suflicient resistance as to compel the ring to swing in the same direction and disengage the hook k from the detent, which releases the end of the jaw E from its engagement with the detent, when the spring 0 expands with sudden force, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby efi'ectually securing the animal.

By having the arm D adjustable upon the stationary jaw the detent can be lowered to securely hold the movable jaw when such detent and the end of the jaw have been worn, or the detent bent so that it will not hold the jaws apart in its first position.

This trap may be used to advantage, as shown in Fig. 1, by being placed in front of a rat-hole or other runway, or laid flat for larger animals to step on.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with the movable sprin gjaw of an animal-trap, of the arm D, adjustable upon the stationary jaw, and carrying-the pivoted detent G and crank-hook h, substantially as described and shown.

2. The animal-trap described, having in combination the stationary jaw A, the movable jaw E, the spring 0, the arms D, adj ustable upon an extension of the stationary jaw, the detent G, carried by such arm, and the ring H, having crank arm and hook, all constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

JAMES H. LEWIS.

lVi tnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, UnAnLEs J. HUNT. 

